Portable screen

ABSTRACT

A portable safety screen is constructed of sight blocking material and supported by spaced apart uprights. A line extends between the uprights and the sight blocking material is connected to the line. The sight blocking material has a plurality of air passage cuts extending therethrough.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The subject invention is directed to a portable screen. Moreparticularly, the subject invention is directed to a portable screenthat can be used to block the sight of an automobile accident, forexample, from the view of passing motorist.

2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37CFR 1.97 and 1.98

One of the many problems associated with work of police and firemen isto prevent pedestrians from watching them work and getting in their wayand hindering their functions. This is particularly true where there hasbeen an accident on a highway and on coming motorist significantly slowdown or stop to look.

In the past, there have been a large number of additional accidentscaused by motorist who show down to watch policemen and firemen work andnot watch where they are driving.

Although the highway department does have barriers to separate trafficlanes during construction projects, these structure are sufficient lowto prevent some viewing and are of concrete and require heavy equipmentand a great deal of time to move and set up.

The subject invention is directed to overcoming one or more of theproblems as set forth above.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A portable screen is provided having a plurality of uprights. A line isconnected to and extends between the uprights. A sight blocking materialis connected to the line and extends between the uprights. The blockingmaterial has a plurality of air passage cuts extending therethrough.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial frontal sectional view of one embodiment of thelower end portion of an upright;

FIG. 3 is a frontal view of another embodiment of the sight blockingmaterial of this invention;

FIG. 4 is a view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 4 showing the doublelayers of the sight blocking material of this invention;

FIG. 5 is view of one of the supports and a stabilizing bar used tomaintain the support in an upright position;

FIG. 6 shows a first end portion of the stabilizing bar connected to thesupport; and

FIG. 7 shows a second end portion of the stabilizing bar secured to theground.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a portable screen 10 is provided to shieldaccidents and work sites from view. The portable screen 10 has aplurality of spaced apart uprights 12-14 connected one to the other by aprimary support line 16. A sight blocking material 18 is connected tothe primary support line 16 and extends between the uprights 12-14.

In the preferred embodiment shown, a multiplicity of air passage cuts20-26, for example, extend through the sight blocking material from thebottom of the sight blocking material to a location adjacent the primarysupport line. Desirably these cuts are separated one from the other inthe range of about 4 inches to about 12 inches. Less than about 4 inchesis undesirable because the resulting panels will not be of sufficientstiffness to block view when a brisk wind is blowing. Greater separationthan about 12 inches is undesirable because the force of the wind willplace an undesirable force on the structure and cause it to fall down.

The sight blocking material 18 can be formed of any material which isnot transparent and which is sufficiently flexible to be rolled up. Inthe preferred embodiment, the sight blocking material 18 is the organicplastic polyethylene. The uprights preferably also formed of organicplastic and the support lines 16 and 28-34 are preferably formed ofnylon. It is further preferred that the portable screen be sufficientlyflexible per 50 feet of length to be rolled into a cylindrical formhaving a diameter less than about 12 inches and be at least 6 feet highand 50 feet in length.

To construct the subject portable screen 10 with a height less thanabout 6 feet is undesirable because it will not sufficiently block theview of a motorist elevated in his vehicle seat. Further, to constructthe subject portable screen 10 of a length less than about 50 feet wouldnot be of sufficient length to block the view of a two vehicle accident.

In the preferred embodiment shown, the primary support line 16 extendsbeyond the last upright on each opposed screen end and is connectable toa stationary object, such as a stake 36 or tree 38 or vehicle forexample, for stabilizing the portable screen 10. To further desirablystabilize the screen 10, first and second lines 29, 30 and 31,32 and33,34 can each extend from and be connected to an upper end of arespective upright 12-14. Preferably each line 29-34 extends from theupper end of its respective upright to the ground at a location adistance of about 6 feet from the respective upright. Each of the lines29-34 are connectable to a stationary object for stabilizing theportable screen 10. In the preferred embodiment, each upright has firstand second laterally extending lines.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, it is preferred that the lower end portionof each upright 12-14 be of a tripod construction or to provide greaterstability to the screen 10. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, thetripod 40 is removeably connected to the upright 12 and the connectingend portion of the upright 12 is tapered to a point. By thisconstruction, the uprights can be driven into the ground where greaterstability is needed.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, another embodiment of the sight blockingmaterial 18 of this invention which has first and second layers orsheets 42,43 each of which has air passage cuts 20-23 for example and50-53. It should be noted that the air passage cuts 50-53 of the secondlayer or sheet 43 of the sight blocking material 18 are offset relativeto the cuts 20-23 of the first sheet or layer 42. These offset cutspermit continuous sight blocking when the wind is blowing and tending toseparate the material along the cut lines.

Referring to FIG. 5, a stabilizing bar 44 is used instead of asupporting line for maintaining the support 13 in an upright position.In this construction, a first end portion 46 of the stabilizing bar 44is connectable to the support 13 and a second end portion 48 is fixed tothe ground. The connection of the first end portion 46 to thestabilizing bar 44 can be a telescopic type connection as shown in FIG.6 or of any other suitable construction. The second end portion 48 canbe maintained relative to the ground by a stake 54 passing through thebar 44 and into the ground. The second end portion 48 can also bemaintained relative to the ground by other means known in the artwithout departing from this invention. The stabilizing bar 44 ispreferably formed of organic plastic such as polyethylene, but can beformed of other material, such as metal or wood.

In the case of an accident, a policeman or fireman can unroll theportable screen 10 of this invention, stabilize the screen against windforces, and screen an accident or work area from the viewing public.

Other aspects, objects and advantages will be come apparent from a studyof the drawings, the specification and the appended claims.

1. A portable screen, comprising: a plurality of spaced apart uprights;a primary support line connected to and extending between the uprights;and a sight blocking material connected to the primary support line andextending between the uprights, said blocking material having aplurality of air passage cuts extending therethrough.
 2. A portablescreen, as set forth in claim 1, wherein there are a multiplicity of airpassage cuts extending through the sight blocking material from thebottom of the sight blocking material to adjacent the primary supportline.
 3. A portable screen, as set forth in claim 2, wherein themultiplicity of air passage cuts are transversely separated one from theother by at least 4 inches.
 4. A portable screen, as set forth in claim2, wherein the multiplicity of air passage cuts are transverselyseparated one from the other in the range of about 4 to about 12 inches.5. A portable screen, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the lower portionof the uprights is of tri-pod construction.
 6. A portable screen, as setforth in claim 5, wherein the tri-pod lower portion of each upright isremoveably connected to the upright and the end portion of the uprightis tapered to a point.
 7. A portable screen, as set forth in claim 1,wherein the line extending between and connecting the uprights is anylon line.
 8. A portable screen, as set forth in claim 1, wherein theline extends beyond the last upright on each end and is connectable to astationary object for stabilizing the portable screen.
 9. A portablescreen, as set forth in claim 1, including first and second lines eachextending from the upper end portion of each upright to the ground at adistance of about 6 feet from the respective upright, each first andsecond line being connectable to a stationary object for stabilizing theportable screen.
 10. A portable screen, as set forth in claim 1, whereinthe sight blocking material is formed of organic plastic.
 11. A portablescreen, as set forth in claim 10, wherein the sight blocking material isformed of polyethylene.
 12. A portable screen, as set forth in claim 10,wherein the uprights are formed of organic plastic.
 13. A portablescreen, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the portable screen issufficiently flexible per 50 feet of length to be rolled into acylindrical form having a diameter less than 12 inches.
 14. A portablescreen, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the portable screen is at least6 feet in height and at least 50 feet in length.
 15. A portable screen,as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sight blocking material includesfirst and second layers each having air passage cuts, said air passagecuts of the first layer being laterally offset relative to the airpassage cuts of the second layer.
 16. A portable screen, as set forth inclaim 1, including a stabilizing bar connectable to an upper end portionof an upright and being maintainable relative to the ground.
 17. Aportable screen, as set forth in claim 16, wherein the stabilizing baris formed of organic plastic.